2013 Family and Friends Day Agenda
Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired
Presents
“Living Life Out Loud: Celebrating Freedom for the Blind!”
Saturday, October 19, 2013
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
401 Azalea Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23227
(Activities for children between the ages of four and twelve will be provided
in the VRCBVI dormitory lobby. Please ask staff at the front desk for
directions to the dormitory. Becky Keller, VRCBVI orientation and mobility
instructor, and Lorraine Taylor, wellness and fitness coach, will coordinate
fun and thought-provoking activities for children.)
Door Prizes
Throughout the day, names will be announced for awesome door prizes.
At the end of the day, a name will be drawn for a brand-new iPad. If your
name is drawn at 3:00 or shortly thereafter and you are not present, you
will not win the iPad. We will continue to draw names until we draw the
name of someone who is present. Best of luck to everyone!
Tours
Tours of the newly-renovated VRCBVI are available upon request.
Agenda
9:00 – 9:30: Registration and continental breakfast
9:30:
Welcoming remarks -- Ray Hopkins, Commissioner, Virginia
Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Melody Roane, Director,
Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired
9:45: Keynote presentation – “We’ve Only Just Begun To Realize the
Possibilities: Making Life Happen!” -- Michael Kasey, former VRCBVI
student and current project manager for Immigrations and Customs
Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.
Michael Kasey is a 1976 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University
(VCU) School of Business with a B.S. in Accounting. He earned a Masters
of Science Degree in 1998 from George Washington University in Project
Management.
He retired from Lockheed Martin after 25 years and lives with his wife Mary
Margaret (Maggie) in historic Fredericksburg.
Michael’s blindness is caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). He attended
the VRCBVI in 2002. After this training he enjoys setting an example for
others. He is involved in the Knights of Columbus and several non-profit
corporations in the local area.
He returned to full time employment in 2011 with the Department of
Homeland Security. He is a Project Manager for Information Technology
and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Michael helped found the Fredericksburg Area chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia in 2001. The chapter today consists of
about 40 members from ages 4 to 74. Michael was elected 1st Vice
President of the Virginia Affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind at
the 52nd convention in 2010.
10:05: Living Life Out Loud In the Workplace: A Panel Discussion
Featuring Successfully Employed Individuals Who Are Blind or Vision
Impaired -- Linda Broady-Myers, ADA Community Outreach Liaison, Keolis
Transit, Greater Richmond Transit Company; Michael Kasey, project
manager, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Maurice Richardson,
Vending Stand Operator.
10:35: Let’s Dance!: Celebrating Freedom for the Blind Through
Recreational Activities -- Daniel Ashman and Jennifer Kennedy, VRCBVI
instructors, discuss and answer questions about their experiences in
ballroom dancing classes; Kris Adkins, current VRCBVI student, shares his
experience as a third degree black belt in judo and a black belt in Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu; Mark Roane, community volunteer and retired mechanical
engineer, discusses tandem bike riding and snow skiing and how to get
started; Kim Carmichael, vice president of the Blind Bowling League of
Richmond, discusses how bowling is a fun and challenging activity.
11:05:
Celebrating Freedom for the Blind as Blind Parents and
Grandparents: A Panel Discussion -- Nicole Burton, current VRCBVI
student; Eva Blizzard, current VRCBVI student; Michael Triplett and Mike
and CJ Fish, VRCBVI instructors.
11:35: Living Life Out Loud: Creating and Reinventing Yourself With
Blindness: A Discussion of Success and How To Get There as a Blind
Person -- Discussion facilitated by Melody Roane, VRCBVI director
12:00: Lunch in the cafeteria. Lunch is $3.00 per person (children under
twelve eat for free). We will have a cook out with all the “fixins”!
Afternoon sessions are designed to give participants the opportunity to
learn new skills, discuss various options, and generate ideas for community
involvement.
Concurrent Sessions
Session 1
1:00 – 3:00: Health screenings: Staying Healthy So That You Can Live
Out Loud -- Willie Ice and Susan Denissen, VRCBVI health educators,
health education department (rooms 188 and 192)
Staff will provide screenings of blood sugar and blood pressure, along with
other health-related screenings. In order to address issues that may be
identified, staff will provide information and resources to empower
individuals to live a healthy and active lifestyle.
1:00 – 3:00: Keys To Kitchen Success: From Basic To Advanced, the
Blind Cook and Clean Independently and Safely -- Kitchen skills classroom
(room 170)
Learn how you or your loved one can prepare dishes for the family or for
one person. See the strategies for success put into action and ask
questions. Watch the process involved in putting a lasagna together and
creating a banana cream pie from scratch. Also, try your hand at
performing a basic kitchen task while using sleepshades so that you
understand how the techniques work!
1:00 – 2:00: Yes, We Can!: Field Day Activities That the Blind Can
Perform!—Rock Star Hallway (next to room 179)
Remember the days when you did relay races, negotiated obstacle
courses, played tag? Come and learn how to do these activities as a blind
person. Be prepared to have fun and problem-solve quickly!
1:00 – 2:00: Staying In Shape Through the Use of Yoga Techniques!: Find
Peace and Balance In Your Life--Jacqueline Ouellet, Certified Hatha yoga
instructor, Founder and owner of Yoga at Sumner Lake, Manassas,
Virginia. Community kitchen (room 135)
Find out how Jackie teaches Yoga as a blind instructor. She will teach you
basic Yoga exercises and will inspire you to continue taking Yoga classes
in your community.
1:00 – 2:00: What Is the American Council of the Blind? -- John McCann,
president, Old Dominion Council of the Blind, north conference room (room
116)
Come and learn about the exciting programs and activities available
through this blind consumer organization.
1:00 – 2:00: What Is the National Federation of the Blind — Wanda Taylor,
president of the Fairfax chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia, learning center (room 145)
Come and learn about the exciting programs and activities available
through this blind consumer organization.
1:00 – 2:00: What’s new in iOS? What changes are there in iOS 7—Mike
Fish, VRCBVI computer instructor, tech lab 1 (room 138)
Come and receive an introduction to the latest updates in IOS.
1:00 – 2:00: Techniques and Gadgets To Promote Independence In
Personal and Home Management — Michael Triplett and Linda Price,
VRCBVI instructors, Braille classroom (room 171)
Have you ever wondered about non-visual strategies for organizing
medications, money, kitchen items, CDs, etc.? This session is designed to
introduce you to how blind individuals can maintain control of their personal
and home responsibilities. Have you ever wondered about how to tie a tie
without looking in the mirror or how to vacuum without looking? You will
find out the answers to these and many more questions involved in running
a household successfully as a blind person.
1:00 – 2:00: Volunteer Your Way To a Job! — Marie Moore, VRCBVI job
readiness instructor, assembly room (room 106)
Come and learn about why volunteer opportunities can lead to full-time
employment. You will learn about strategies for finding opportunities that fit
your skill level. Determine what you are passionate about and how you can
match your interest with organizations that will benefit from your skills.
1:00 – 2:00: Raising Puppies That Become Guide Dogs for the Blind —
Bunny Wilks and Ephraim Seidman, volunteer puppy raisers, Guiding Eyes
for the Blind, VRCBVI student commons
Come and see beautiful puppies that will eventually become guide dogs for
the blind. Learn about the process that is involved in raising and training
guide dogs. Learn about what inspired Bunny and Ephraim to become
puppy raisers.
Session 2
2:00 – 3:00: Yes, We Can!: Field Day Activities That the Blind Can
Perform! — Rock Star Hallway (next to room 179)
Remember the days when you did relay races, negotiated obstacle
courses, played tag? Come and learn how to do these activities as a blind
person. Be prepared to have fun and problem-solve quickly!
2:00 – 3:00: Staying In Shape Through the Use of Yoga Techniques!: Find
Peace and Balance In Your Life -- Jacqueline Ouellet, Certified Hatha yoga
instructor, Founder and owner of Yoga at Sumner Lake, Manassas,
Virginia. Community kitchen (room 135)
Find out how Jackie teaches Yoga as a blind instructor. She will teach you
basic Yoga exercises and will inspire you to continue taking Yoga classes
in your community.
2:00 – 3:00: What Is the National Federation of the Blind — Wanda Taylor,
president of the Fairfax chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia, learning center (room 145)
Come and learn about the exciting programs and activities available
through this blind consumer organization.
2:00 – 3:00: What Is the American Council of the Blind? — John McCann,
president, Old Dominion Council of the Blind, north conference room (room
116)
Come and learn about the exciting programs and activities available
through this blind consumer organization.
2:00 – 3:00: Accessing mobile media: reading your favorite books,
newspapers, and magazines on the go — Mike Fish, VRCBVI computer
instructor, tech lab 1 (room 138)
Come and receive an introduction to the latest developments in accessing
materials through mobile devices. You will be amazed by the opportunities
technology presents for the blind to access information on the go!
2:00 – 3:00: Braille: The Secret To Literacy and Employment — Daniel
Ashman, VRCBVI instructor, Braille classroom (room 171)
Have you ever heard the saying “knowledge is power”? Have you ever felt
powerless within your life? Have you let opportunities for education or
employment pass you by because of a fear of inequality or lack of
understanding? In this session, you will be introduced to the various
opportunities Braille presents to individuals who are blind or who have low
vision. We will learn about and discuss the myths and facts associated
with Braille.
2:00 – 3:00: Resume Makeover — Marie Moore, VRCBVI job readiness
instructor, assembly room (room 106)
In this session participants will learn about the latest approaches to resume
layout and what employers are looking for. Bring your resume to get
feedback concerning content, layout, spelling and grammar, and
presentation.
2:00 – 3:00: Raising Puppies That Become Guide Dogs for the Blind —
Bunny Wilks and Ephraim Seidman, volunteer puppy raisers, Guiding Eyes
for the Blind, VRCBVI student commons
Come and see beautiful puppies that will eventually become guide dogs for
the blind. Learn about the process that is involved in raising and training
guide dogs. Learn about what inspired Bunny and Ephraim to become
puppy raisers.
3:00 – 4:00: cookies and punch social hour — Cafeteria
Catch up on the latest happenings and developments at VRCBVI. Meet
new staff and reconnect with veteran staff members. Learn about the latest
renovations that are occurring. Also, learn about the newly-designed
VRCBVI website which will be unveiled in November.
Thank you for your participation in the 2013 VRCBVI Family and Friends
Day activities. We hope that the workshops will encourage you to “live life
out loud” by becoming active in your community. As the general public
sees us participating and contributing to various projects or activities, we
will educate them about the true capabilities of the blind and visionimpaired. As those of you who have been students at VRCBVI in the last
few years know, we have a “quote of the day” at the end of our
announcements in the morning. One of the more popular quotes from the
2013 summer youth program was, “Life is a story. Make yours a bestseller.” VRCBVI staff and students stand ready as a resource to encourage
and challenge you to achieve your goals and reach your full potential.
For more information about our training programs, please visit our website
at vrcbvi.org or call us at 804-371-3151. We look forward to hearing about
how you are living life out loud and making your life’s story a best-seller!